Well-pumping system.



W. M. STEPHENSON. WELL PUMPING, SYSTEM. APPLICATION men SEPT. a, 1913.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR T ORNEYS w. M. STEPHENSON. W'ELL PUMPING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1913.

1,171,986. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

7 3 SHEETSSHEET 2- A? INVENTOR VV'z'ZZz'am J)[. Ste v en 5022,

ATTORNEYS W. M. STEPHENSON.

WELL PUMPING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 61 1913- 11713 Patented Feb.15,1916.- fil f\'\ /IIIIIIIIII will iem 2 2/6 3 ,"u v j a 22 5 5 I 5 1 a E i &

v e "mu".mmmuu e ...........4 L A ;i; i

I A 4? E 4 ATTORNEYS the cost of maintenance may be sufficiently.

WILLIAM M. STEPHENSON, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS.

WELL-PUMPING- SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15,1916.

Application filed September 6, 1913. Serial No. 788,483.

To all whom it may: concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. STnPHnN- son, citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county ofDallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well-Pumping Sys tems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful well pumping system and relates particularly to certain improvements upon the well pumping system covered by my previous Patent No. 899,921 issued September 29th, 1908.

The object of my invention broadly stated is to provide a system for pumping oil from non-flowing wells,which system will be made entirely automatic inoperation in order that low tomake particularly profitable the application ofmy system to wells havingonl a small'production of oil.

The object of the invention stated some- "what more specifically is to pump oil from a non-flowing well by alternately creating an air compression and a vacuum'in the bot-' tom portion of the well, the vacuum serving to increase the flow of oil into the well causing it to rise to a greater height than it would reach under its natural pressure, and the compressed air being made to exert its force upon the column of oil forcing the same to the surface.

Another object is to decrease the amount of power necessary to operate my system by utilizing the natural law controlling the ex-- pansion of air and other gases, said law being applied by injecting quantities of air at regular intervals into the rising column of oil, breaking said column in globules or pistons of various lengths, and discharging the same at the surface-in'alternate gushes of air and oil, the gradual expansion of the air as it rises being utilized to forcethe oil to the surface.

Another object is to so arrange my oil pumping system that the mechanisms producing an air compression and a'vacuum in the bottom portion of the well will be automatically regulated by the oil' in the well.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic valve which at the proper time will permit air that has been compressed in the bottom of the well to exhaust to the atmosphereuntil the air pressure the rise and fall of in the bbttom of. the well is substantially atmospheric, whereupon the valve will au tomatically shift so as to establish communication between the bottom portion of the well and a suction apparatus.

.With these and various "other objects in view, my invention has relation to certain novel features of the construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a'sectional elevation of an oil well, with which my novel pumping system is correlated. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing in elevation those parts of my systerm which are disposed above ground. Fig.

3 is a detail view in sectional elevation, showing a device comprising an incased float and circuit closing means,-which device is acted upon by the rise and fall of oil in the well to automatically control the entire system. Fig. 4 is a bottom view ofthe device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same device, the section being taken upon the line AA of- Fig. 3. I Fig. 6 is another transverse sectional view of said device, the section beingtaken upon the line XX of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail view in sectional elevation showing a certain air valve which in my invention is mounted upon the oil discharge pipe in the bottom of the well, the section being taken upon the line VV of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing'in sectional elevation an automatic air ram, which is embodied in my invention.

Fig. 9 is'a transverse sectional view of the same taken upon the line YY of Fig. 8. Fig.

10 is a detail elevation view showing an air. 1 distributing member and check valve which is embodied in my invention as a part of the air distribution system. Fig. 11 is a detail side view of a four-way valve which is a feature of the air distribution system. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the same taken upon the line Y-Y of Fi '11. Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view 0 the oil dischar e pipe, showing how there is formed in sai pipe a column alternately comprising oil and air.

Referring now morejparticularly to'the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts in all'the figures,-the numeral 1 denotesthe casing of a well which extends at its lower extremity into strata of oil bearing sand, said casing being formed in the usual manner ofrsections coupled together as indicated atl. Within said ,cas-' ing and closely adjacent to its lower extremity, there is mounted a cylinder 2 having an exterior diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the casing. The upper and lower extremities of the cylinder 2 are closed by steel plugs respectively des' ignated by the numerals 3 and 5. The cylinder. 2 is supported at its proper elevation above the lower end ofthe casing 1 by pipes 9, 12, 14 and 52 which are screw-threaded in the plug 3 at or adjacent to their lower ends, and are supported at the top of the well in any suitable and convenient manner. The lowermost plug 5 is centrally apertured as indicated at 6, the aperture 6 being normally closed by a ball valve 7 mounted Within the cylinder 2. A strainer pipe 8 screwthreaded into the aperture 6 and depending a short distance below the plug 5 serves to prevent any large solid particles being carried with the oil through the aperture 6 into the cylinder 2.

The two pipes 9 and 12 are extended through the plug 3 and into the bottom portion of the cylinder 2, where they are both made to communicate with a valve casing 10. The casing 10 is provided with an oil inlet at its lower extremity which inlet is closed by a ball valve 11. Intermediate of its extremities, another ball valve 11 is mounted in the casing, these two valves being employed to make it doubly certain that the passage through the casing will be closed to any fluid exerting a downwardly actin pressure. In the upper portion of the cy inder 2 there is interposed in the pipe 9 the casing 15 of a valve by which air may be intermittently admitted to the pipe 9 from said cylinder. This casing is formed with two vertical passages 15 and 16, the former being alined with the pipe 9, and the latter being exterior to the. pipe 9 and connected with the passage 15 by an aperture 15". The passage 16 is closed at its lower extremity by a plug 17 centrally apertured as indicated at 17 the aperture 17 being normally closed by a ball valve 18 seated under the lower extremity of an upright concave ended rod 19. The passage 16 communicates at its upper end with an upright .pipe 20 capped at its top and forming a casing and guide for the member 19. The function of the member 19 is to superimpose weight upon the ball valve 18, making a considerable pressure necessary to unseat said valve. The pipe 9 serves as an oil discharge pipe and after passing from the well may be extended to any suitable oil reservoir. (Not shown.) The pipe 14 communicates at its lower extremity with the cylinder 2 but is not extended into said cylinder. The two pipes 12 and 1 1 serve to conduct compressed air, and their function will hereinafter be more fully explained.

-The two pipes 12 and 14 respectively communicate at their upper extremities with the two chambers A and B of a check valve casing 12. The two said chambers are formed by an inclined partition 12 formed with a passage 12 normally closed by a check valve 12 pivoted at 12 within the chamber A. It will be readily understood from this description and from the detail view shown in Fig. 10 that any air tending to pass from the chamber B to the chamber A will readily raise the member l2 but it will not be possible for any air to raise the valve 12 to pass from the chamber. A to the chamber B. With the chamber B of the casing 12 there also communicates a pipe 12 leading to and communicating with a compressed air storage tank 13. With the. chamber A of the casing 12, there also communicates a pipe 12 leading to and communicating with the upper extremity of a vertically disposed water-filled sight feed glass 13*. A pipe 13 in which 'is interposed a regulating valve 13 establishes communication between the lower end of the feed glass 15 and the pipe 12 The pipe 13 will be formed with a U-trap disposed adjacent to the feed glass and equal to the same in height,which U-trap will prevent the water within the glass 13 from escap? ing into the pipe 13.

At some point between the top of the well and the member 12 a pipe 20 is made to communicate at-one extremity with the pipe I 14, and said pipe 20 after extending some distance adjacent to the pipe 12 is made to communicate at its other extremity with the bottom of a cylindrical valve casing 21, which casing is closed at its upper extremity, except a small vent for escape of air contained therein. Within said casing is mounted a reciprocating plunger 21, which may be given an air tight sliding fit within the casing by the use of packing rings or any other common expedient. The amount of metal embodied inthe plunger 21 is suflicient to cause said plunger to normally seat itself in the bottom portion of the easing 21 due to itslown weight. A tubular passage 21 opening in the bottom extremity of the plunger .21 extends for some distance up into the plunger and communicates at its upper extremity with a laterally extending passage .21 opening in the cylindrical face of the plunger. A short space be.

neath the passage 21 another passage 21 is made to communicate with the passage 21 and opens in the cyl ndrical face of the plunger at a point diametrically opposite to the opening of the passage 21. When of air in the reverse direction. When the plunger 21 is in its lowermost limiting position, the passage 21 has communication with a pipe 22 leading to and 'communicat ing with a tank 23, in which a substantial vacuum is constantly maintained. In order that the airin the tanks 13 and 23 may be respectively compressed and highly rarefied,

said tanks are respectively connected by pipes G and H with an air compressor E and an air exhauster F, both of which will be constantly actuated by an engine D so speeded that the power stored up by the compression of air in the tank 13 and the exhaustion of air inthe tank'23 will be utilized at substantially the same rate-that it is produced. In order to prevent any rotation of the plunger 21 without restricting said plunger against a reciprocating motion, there is, formed in the cylindrical face of said plunger a groove 21 parallel to the center line of the plunger, into which groove there projects a pin 21 rigidly mounted upon the casing 21.

. in the casing 35 of a four-way valve.

In the pipes 12 and 20 there are respectively interposed two quarter-turn valves 28 and 29, adapted to be actuated by levers 27 having slots 27 respectively formed in their outer extremities. The slots 27 respectively receive two pins 27 rigidly carried by a piston-rod 26 adjacent to one extremity of said rod. The other extremity of said rod has rigid connection with apiston 26 adapted to reciprocate within a vertical cylinder 24. The parts 24, 26 and 26 constitute an air motor as will presently be made clear. The arms 27 are parallel and are constantly maintained in a parallel relation through their connection with the rod 26. The relation between the valves 28 and 29 is such that one of said valves occupies a closed position while the other is open. The up- 7 per and lower extremities of the cylinder 24 respectively have communication with pipes 42 and 43 which lead to and communicate with diametrically opposite openings The casing 35 is formed with two other diametrically. opposite openings, one-of which communicates with the atmosphere as indicated at 44, and the other has communication with a pipe 41 leading to and communieating with the pipe 12. It is to be here noted that the pipes 41 and 13 communicate with the pipe 12 at some point between the tank 13 and the valve 28. The casing 35 contains a quarter-turn rotary valve member formed with two passages 39 and 40. In one limiting position of the member 38, the passage 39 establishes communication between the two pipes 41 and 42 and the passage 40 establishes communicationbetween the pipes 43 and 44. In the other limiting position of the member 38, communication is established through the other suitable support.

*Fig. 2 due to its own weight in conjunction with a coiled spring 32*, having its up- .per extremity secured to said rod, and its lower end attached to the pipe 43 or any When saidrod occupies itslowermost position,-the lever 34 occupies a position such as will maintain-the valve member 38 in the position illustrated in Fig. 12, in which position it will be seen that compressed air may pass from the tank 13 through the pipes 12, 41 and 42 to the upper portion of the cylinder 24 While,any air in the lower portion ofthe cylinder is permitted to exhaust through the pipes 43 and 44. When however the solenoid 3.0 is magnetized, anupward displacement is communicated to the rod 32 such as will shift the lever 34 through a quarter turn displacing the member 38 to its other limiting position in which the air in the upper portion of the cylinder 24 will be permitted to exhaust through the pipes 42 and 44 while compressed air will be admitted from the tank 1.3 to the lower portion of the cylinder through the pipes 12 41 and 43.1 It is to be noted that as soon as the circuit of the solenoid.30 is broken, the rod 32 willone of the wires L and K is connected to a small copper rod 48 suspended from one extremity of an arm47 centrally pivoted at 46, said copper rod being counterbalanced by a weight 49 suspended from the other extremity of said arm47. When the arm 47 occupies the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, the rod 48 is spaced slightly above the surface; of the mercury in the cup 50 and the circuit L and K is thus broken. A

means forsubjecting the arm 47 to such an oscillation as willv dip the rod 48 into the mercury cup 50 and close the circuit L-K will presently be described. In multiple with the circuit comprising the wires K and L, there is connected a' circuit comprising i two wires S and R, in which 1s included'an incandescent light 74. One, of the wires S and R is connected at any point with the cylinder 24, and the other is connected with a small bracket 75 mounted upon the pipe 13 adjacent to the rod 26. As the members 26 and 26 reach their uppermost limiting position, a spring 76 mounted upon the lower end portion of the rod 26 will contact with the bracket 75, and connection between the wires S and R will thus be established through the parts 75, 76, 26, 26 and 24. Thus it will be seen that the lamp 74 will light up and remain lighted while the parts 26 and 26 occupy their uppermost limiting position provided of course that the circuit L and K is not broken at such times.

Between the pivot point 46 and that extremity of the arm 47 from which the rod 48 is suspended, there is suspended from said arm 47 the core 52 of a solenoid 51. The solenoid 51 is included in a circuit comprising wires M and N, which said circuit leads to a battery P and is adapted to be electrified thereby. One of the Wires comprising said circuit has electrical connection with the pipe or conduit 52 which extends into the well passing through the plug 3 and terminating in the bottom portion of the cylinder 2. The other wire of said circuit is extended into the well through the conduit 52, this portion of said wire being preferably heavily'insulated as indicated at M, in order to prevent the formation of a short circuit between the conduit and said Vlre.

The lower extremity of the conduit 52 is screw-threaded into a cap 56 surmounted upon a cylindrical casing 53, a chamber 56 being formed within-said cap above the top of the casing 53. Within the chamber 56 and the casing 53 there are respectively mounted two insulating disks 61 contiguous with the top 55 of" the casing. Through said disks and through an aperture 57 in the top of the casing, there is passed a rod 59 formed with an integral flange 60 contacting with the under side of the lowermost disk 61 and'surmounted by a nut 58 contiguous' with the top of the casing 53. .The casing 53 will be sufliciently large to prevent any possibility of a spark passing between the rod 59 and the wall'of said aperture when the said parts are included in an electrical circuit. Within the chamber 56 there is disposed a mercury cup 58, the bottom of which is rigidly secured to the nut 58*, and the lower extremity of the wire M through the conduit 52 after the latter is in its proper place in the well. The wire M has a portion of its lower end bared of insulation, and a metal tube 62 is slipped upon said end of the wire, incasing the bare portion as well as some of the insulated portion of the wire. When this has been done, the space between the wall of said tube and the bared portion of the wire is filled with solder thus establishing a perfect electrical connection between the wire and said tube. By this expedient, the lower extremity of the wire M is given a weight and a stiflness that very much facilitates the lowering of 'Wardly so as to better guide the lower end of the wire M into said cup as said wire is being lowered. The lower extremity of the casing 53 is closed by a cap 54 in 'which a plurality of apertures 54 is provided. An elongated cylindrical mercury cup 7 2 is centrally mounted within the casing upon the cap 54 being secured to said cap by solder as indicated at 73' or in any other suitable manner. Within the casing 53, there is also centrally mounted an elongated cylindrical float 64, which is divided by a horizontal partition. 65 into upper and lower chambers respectively designated by the numerals 67 and 68. The exterior diameter of the float 64 will be slightly less than the interior diameter of the casing 53, so that the float will be free to rise and fall within the casing. The bottom portion of the float is formed with a central recess 69 which opens in the bottom of the float and extends upwardly to the partition 65, the top of said. recess being designated by the numeral 70. When the float is in its lowermost limiting position, the member 70 rests upon the mercury cup 72 thereby supporting the float. The upper chamber 67 of the float contains a centrally disposed mercury .cup 66 which is rigidly connected to the partition 65 by solder or in any other suitable manner. Said cup is provided at its top with a flared rim 67 projecting through the top of the float as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

When the float occupies its lowermost position, the surface of the mercury within the cup 66 will be spaced from the lower extremity of the rod 59. When however the float is shifted to its up ermost limiting position, the lower extremity of the rod 59 becomes immersed in the mercury contained in the cup 66, so that a closed electrical connection will be established through said parts between the Wire M and the float 64. In order that there may constantly be a closed electrical connection between the float and the casing .53, a dip rod 71 is centrally mounted at its upper end in the members 65 and 70 of the float, the length of said rod being sufficient that its lower ex-.

its uppermost position. Obviously the casing 53 constantly has an electrical connection with the conduit 52 throughthe cap 56. It is apparent therefore that when the float 64 reaches its uppermost limiting position, a

closed circuit will be established between the conduit 52 and the wire M. Each time that face, and in order that the production of the well may be automatically registered, a counting device 80 is mounted upon the pipe 20 adjacent'to the rod 26, and is actuated upon each up-stroke of said rod by a spring 81 engaging the teeth of a gear driving said counting device. On the down stroke of the plunger, this spring will yield and slide over the teeth of said gear, without disturbing'the needle of the device 80.

An explanation will now be given as to the operation of the above described pumping system. This operation consists substantially in alternately creating a partial j vacuum within the cylinder 2, after causing the same to become charged with oil, and subsequently introducing compressed air into the upper portion of said cylinder, gradually forcing the oil from the same into the discharge pipe 9. It will of course be understood that when the air within the cylinder 2 has been rarefied, the ball valve 7 will be automatically raised by the pressure of the oil entering the cylinder, but when compressed air is introduced into the upper portion of the cylinder, the valve 7 will remain firmly seated, and the pressure exerted upon the oil within the cylinder may be relieved only through the oil discharging upwardly through the pipe 9. When my system is first put into use, the first step taken is to start the engine D, and during the operation of the system the parts D, E, F and J will be continuously running. At the outset, the various parts of my apparatus will occupy the positions illustrated in the drawings, the members 26 and 26 being in their lowermost limiting position, and the two circuits comprised by the wires L and K and by the wires m and n being'broken. It is to be noted, however, that under the specified conditions, the plunger valve 21 will occupy its lowest limiting position, establishing communication between the pipes 20 and 22. When the members 26 and 26 are at the lower end of their stroke, the valve 28 is closed and the valve 29 open. The receptacle 2, thereidre, will have communication with the vacuum tank 23, and will be exhausted into said tank as the first step in the operation of the system. It is posslble that the natural pressure of the oil will cause the same to rise to some extent within the receptacle 2, but when a suction is created through the aperture 6 due to the exhaustion of air within the receptacle, the

- through the orifices 54*, but it will not raise the float 64 until the air withincasing 53 a height as will cause the lower extremity of the rod 59 to become submerged in the mercury contained in the cup 66. The air compressed in the top of the casing 53 will, however, prevent the float rising into contact with the top of the casing. The circuit comprising the wires m and n will now be closed through the wire M, the mercury cup 58, the ;rod 59, the mercury cup 66, the rod 71, the mercury cup 72, the casing 53 and the conduit 52. The closing of said circuit will electrify the solenoid 51, drawing down the core 52 and subjecting the bar 47 to an angular displacement sutficient to dip the rod 48 into the mercury contained in the cup 50, The circuit comprising the wires Land K will thus be closed, electrifying the solenoid 30, and displacing the core 82 to its uppermost limiting position. The core 32 in undergoin this displacement will shift the arm 34 an the member 38 through a quarter turn, allowing compressed air from'the tank 18 to enter beneath the piston 26 flowing through the pipes 12, 41 and 43, and permitting the air in the upper portion of the cylinder 24 to discharge through the pipes 42 and 44. 'The members 26 and 26 will immediately undergo an upward displacement,

air tank 1 3. 1

The compressed air will flow from the tank 13 through the pipe 12 and since the check valve 12 -will readily lift under its pressure, the air will descend through both of the pipes 14 and 12. A strong stat c pressure will be impressed upon the 011 1n the receptacle 2 by the compressed air entering through the pipe 14, and the 011 under this pressure will raise the valves 1lfrom their seats and will rise in thepipe 9, continuing to. do so until a suflicient amount of compressed air has entered the receptacle 2 to force the oil down to 5 the level of the lower end of thecasing 53/ The air enterling the casing .10 through the pipe 12 will aerate the rising column of oil, and in msingwith the-oil inthe pipe 9 will expand proportionately: as it approaches the surlow that of the aperture 17, the valve 18 will be raised only during intermittent periods during which periods, a certaln amount of air will enter the pipe 9, mo-

mentarily breaking the column of oil and forming globules of air therein. Soon this outflow of air from the top of the receptacle will lower the pressure to such an extent that it will not overcome the weight of the valve 18 and weight-rod 16, and they will' close the aperture 17 until the air pressure in' the receptacle is again sufficient to unseat the valve 18. Thus at intermittent in.- tervals globules of air will enter the column of oil rising in the pipe 9, and the expansion of this air as the pressure acting upon it is reduced proportionately as it approaches the surface will increase the rate of speed at which the oil is raised. The rising column formed of alternating quantities of air and oil is clearly illustrated in Fig. 13.

- When the receptacle 2 is substantially full of oil, it raises the float 64 to the upper portion of the casing 53. While the oil is discharging from the receptacle 2, it continues to buoy up the float 64, since it is acted upon by a strong air pressure. When, however,

the level of the oil falls sufficiently to permit air to enter the casing 53 through the.

' orifices 54 the oil which has buoyed up the float will be displaced by the air and the float will drop to its lower limitingposition,

breaking contact between the dip rod v59 and the mercury in the cup 66. The circuit which includes the wires m and n will thus be broken demagnetizing the solenoid 51 and permitting the bar 47 to assume its normal horizontal position in which the rod 48 will be raised out of contact with the mercury in the cup 50. The circuit comprising the wires K and L will now be broken, and the lamp 74 will cease to be lit. Also, the rod 32, being no longer upheld by the magnetic energy of the solenoid 30 will be immediately drawn down by the spring 32, to

its lowermost limiting position, subjecting drawings, in which positions the valve 28 is closed and the valve 29 open. The opening Of the valve 29 allows the air under com- 1,171,eec

pression in the cylinder to expand through the pipe 20 into the central aperture 21 of the member 21, exerting an upward ressure upon said member suflicient to shift it.

in the receptacle 2 is nearly atmospheric, the

member 21 will descend of its own weight to its lowermost limiting position, establishing connection between the pipes 20 and 22.

as has been already described. The air remaining within the receptacle 2 will now be again exhausted, and all of the parts will again undergo the cycle of operation which has been described. In the operation of my system this cycle will be continuously repeated, the receptacle 2 becoming filled and discharged during each cycle, and raising a certain volume of oil to the surface during each discharge.

Whether or not the valve 28 is open, there will always be a certain amount of compressed air flowing down through the pipe l2 which air will enter the pipe 12 when the valve 28 is closed, by way of the by-pass comprised by the pipes 12 and 13. The cut-ofi valve 13 permits the flow of air through the by-pass to be accurately regulated and the amount of this flow will be visually indicated by the bubbles of air rising in the sight feed glass 13 This small flow of air is maintained while the receptacle 2 is filling withoil, to agitate the oil as it rises through the valve inlets 11, preventing sand from settling upon the valves and rendering the same inoperative.

The most important feature of the above described oil pumping system is its economy of operation. Since the entire apparatus is automatic in its action it is possible forone man to attend to a large number of these pumping systems which may all if desired have pipe connections to a central power plant in which the air compressing and exhausting machinery and the generator will be located.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as prop erly come within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim is 1. A well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted in the bottom portion of a well and having a valve inlet, of a discharge pipe leading from 7 said receptacle out of the well, air supplying and air exhausting means having connection with said receptacle, and a'device alternately actuated by the hydrostatic pressure of a fluid entering the receptacle during the period of its connection with the air exhaust- 9 ne'cting'the receptacle with the exhausting with the exhausting means, and establishing its communication with the supplying means when the receptacle is substantially full of the fluid, and automatically producing the reverse result when the receptacle is substantially empty.

2. A well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted in the bottom portion of a well and having a valve inlet, of a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle out of the well, air supplying and air exhausting means correlated With sald receptacle, the latter normally having communication with the same, a device for simultaneously cutting off the air exhaust ing means from communication with the receptacle and establishing its communication with air supplying means, an electro-magnetic device controlling the last specified de-' vice, a circuit including the electro-magnetic device extending down the well and normally broken within said receptacle,'a device for closing said circuit within the receptacle actuated by hydrostatic pressure of the oil in the same when the oil rises to a certain height, and means for venting the receptacle and air exhausting means.

3. A well pumping system compri'ing -afl substantially closed receptacle mounted in the bottom portion of a well, and having avalve inlet, of a dis charge'pipe leading from said receptacle out of the well, air supplying and air exhausting means connected to said receptacle, a device for controlling communication of the receptacle with the air supplying and air exhausting means, means for venting the receptacle to the atmosphere between the periods of its communication with the air supplying and air exhausting means, and a normally closed valve disposed in the upper portion of the receptacle upon the discharge pipe and adapted to yield under a suflicient pressure to admit fluids from the receptacleto the discharge i. A well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted in the bottom portion of a well, and having a valve inlet, of a discharge pipe leading from 's m fla the supplying and air exhausting means,

said receptacle out of the well, air supplying andair. exhausting means connected to the receptacle, an automatic device controlling fcation bet-ween the receptacle and and a valve interposed in the pipe line conmeans which valve during the exhausting ofthe'receptacle'allows the air to vent to thereupon automatically giving said lme said receptacle out of the well, air supply;

ing and air exhausting means having connection to said receptacle,'a device controlling the communication of the receptacle with the air supplying and air exhausting means, an electro-magnetic device controlling the operation of the'device last specified, an electric circuit including the electro-magnetic device, said circuit being normally open, a second electro :magnetic device adapted when electrified to close the said circuit, a second circuit including the second electro-magnetic device and extending into the well, and normally open within said receptacle, means within the receptacle for automatically closing said circuit due to the hydrostatic pressure of the oil in the receptacle when said oil reaches a certain height, and means for venting said receptacle to the plying and air exhausting means are in ,communication with said receptacle. to the atmosphere between the perlods of its communication with the air supplying 63A well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted in Qthe bottom portion of a well and having ,a valve inlet, a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle out of the well, an air supplying and air exhausting means having connection to said receptacle, a substantially closed casing mountedin the bottom portion of said receptacle'and provided with a plurality of apertures in its bottom, a float mounted within said casing and normally resting upon a support therein, said float being adapted to rise within the casing due to hydrostatic pressure of the oil in the receptacle, when said oil reaches a certain height, an electric circuit extending into the well and adapted to be closed by said float when the same reaches its uppermost limiting position, an electro-magnetic device included in said circuit controlling the communication of the receptacle with the air supplying and exhausting means, and means for venting said receptacle to the atmosphere between the periods of its communication with the air supplying and air exhausting means.

7. A: well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted in the bottom portion of a well, and having a valve inlet, of a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle outof the well, a compressed air tank and a vacuum tank, pipes respectively establishing communication between said tank and said receptacle, valves adjacently mounted in said pipes, means establishing a relation between said valves such that when oneis open the other 1s lac 7 between the periods of its communication with the air supplying and air exhausting means.

8. A well pumping system comprising a substantially closed receptacle mounted "in the bottom portion of a Well and having a valve inlet, of a discharge pipe leading from said receptacle out of the well, a compressed air tank and a vacuum tank, pipes establishing communication between said tanks and said receptacle, valves adj acently interposed in said pipes, means establishing a relation between said valves such that one is open while the other is closed, a device for simultaneously actuating said valves, means for actuating said device automatically controlled by the rise and fall of oil in said receptacle, and means for venting said receptacle to the atmosphere between the periods of its communication with the air supplying and air exhausting means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of the subscribing witness.

WILLIAM M. STEPHENSON; Witness:

JACK A. SoHLnY. 

